Most modern vehicles are provided with electrically operated windows. Typically, each of the windows are controlled by a switch located beneath the vehicle window which when actuated raises or lowers the window. In addition, a plurality of switches are typically positioned on or by the door adjacent to the driver's seat so that the driver may raise or lower any of the windows in the vehicle individually by operating the proper switch.
In addition modern vehicles are typically provided with electrically operated door locks. The switch for controlling these door locks is usually positioned on or near the vehicle door by the driver. In this way, when the driver leaves his vehicle, he can actuate the vehicle door switch, and all the doors in the vehicle will be locked simultaneously.
The problem with this arrangement, is that in existing the--vehicle and actuating the electrical vehicle door switch to lock the vehicle doors, the driver often fails to notice that some of the vehicle windows are open. Consequently, access to the interior of the vehicle is easy, and any valuables left in the vehicle can be stolen. This requires the driver to reopen the door so that he can operate the window operating switches to close all the windows. This can be a lot of trouble, particularly if the door is locked, and the keys are in the drivers pocket, and he is carrying some packages.
Additional art discovered in this case are the patents to Booth 4,683,975, Ohashi et al, No. 4,733,145Andrei No. 4,450,390, and Andrei 4,427,959. These patents relate to door closing and window closing devices, but they are not concerned with the problem applicant is concerned with moreover they are complicated and expensive to build and service. In contrast, another important object of this invention is to provide an in expensive circuit for manually closing the windows of a vehicle independent of the ignition switch from outside the vehicle.
Of course, it would not be too difficult to construct a time delay mechanism which automatically closes windows of vehicle after the driver has locked the ignition and the doors and has and exited the vehicle. But this could be dangerous. On some occasions, during hot weather, a child might be left in the car with the windows open. If the driver forgot about the automatic window closing feature, the windows could close automatically with fatal results. For this reason, devices which automatically close the windows of a vehicle after a period of time are undesirable.
What is needed and what constitutes an important object of this invention is to provide a manually operated mechanism independent of the ignition switch n the case of a motor vehicle or independent of an electric door switch, in the case of a trailer or motor home, for closing all the vehicle windows from outside the car if the driver finds he has inadvertently left some of the windows partially open and to provide such a mechanism comprises an important object of this invention.
Still another problem with exiting vehicles which employ electrically powered door locks and windows, involves security, in that on occasion an elderly or frail woman or man may be driving a motor vehicle and carrying valuables alone with the windows open. It would be a great comfort to the driver if, on the approach of threatening persons he could lock all the doors and windows by actuating a single switch, and to provide a mechanism for doing this comprises still another object of this invention.
Since the mechanism for closing all the windows in a vehicle are independent of the ignition switch, it is clear that the principles of this invention are applicable to motor homes and trailers.